Table of Contents

Preface to the 2015 edition; Foreword by Doug Scott, CBE; Introduction to the 1925 edition by Sir Francis Younghusband, KCSI, KCIE; Part 1: Narrative; Chapter 1: The Start, by Brig.-General Hop. C.G. Bruce, CB, MVO; Chapter 2: The March Across Tibet, by Lieut. Colonel E.F. Norton, DS0; Chapter 3: The Rongbuk Glacier, by Captain J.G. Bruce, MC; Chapter 4: The North Col, by Lieut. Colonel E.F. Norton, DSO; Chapter 5: Norton and Somervell's Attempt, by Lieut. Colonel E.F. Norton, DSO; Chapter 6: Mallory and Irvine's Attempt, by N.E. Odell; Chapter 7: The Return to Base Camp, by Lieut. Colonel E.F. Norton, DSO; Chapter 8: The Return Journey, by Bentley Beetham; Chapter 9: Future Possibilities, by Lieut. Colonel E.F. Norton, DSO; Part 2: Mallory's Letters; Part 3: Observations; Section 1: Physiological Difficulties, by Major R.W.G. Hingston, IMS; Section 2: Natural History, by Major R.W.G. Hingston, IMS; Section 3: Geology and Glaciology, by N.E. Odell; Section 4: Photography, by Bentley Beetham; Section 5: On the use of Oxygen, by N.E. Odell; Part 4: The Organisation of the Expedition; A - Preliminary Organisation, Journey and March, by Lieut. Colonel E.F. Norton, DSO; B - Local Personnel, by Captain J.G. Bruce; C - Notes on Office and Money in Tibet, by Captain J.G. Bruce; D - Medical Notes, by Major R.W.G. Kingston, IMS; E - High Camps, by T.H. Somervell; F - Oxygen Apparatus, Etc., by N.E. Odell; G - Transport, by E.O. Shebbeare; H - The Mess, by Bentley Beetham.

About the Author

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Felix Norton, DSO, MC was one of the finest mountaineers of his day and a key figure on early Everest expeditions.

Born in Argentina in 1884, Norton was the grandson of Alfred Wills, one of the founders of the Alpine Club. Wills built a chalet above Sixt in the French Alps where Norton spent several holidays, discovering a love for mountains and honing his climbing skills. As a young officer, he served with distinction during the First World War, and later spent time in India, gaining a familiarity with the country, its peoples and languages. During the 1922 Everest expedition, he made the first summit bid with George Mallory and Howard Somervell. Climbing without supplementary oxygen, they reached 26,985 feet – a record height.

Norton returned to Everest in 1924, as deputy leader, but found himself in charge after General Bruce was taken ill. After severe weather twice forced a retreat, Norton launched a summit bid with Somervell. Continuing alone after Somervell was forced to turn back, Norton reached 28,126 feet – less than 1,000 feet from the summit, and another record height. A few days later, as he lay recovering at Camp IV, he bade farewell to Mallory and Andrew Irvine as they set off for their fateful climb. Norton was praised for his leadership, and for his handling of the aftermath of Mallory and Irvine’s disappearance, and in 1926 he was awarded the Founder’s Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.

The expedition over, Norton returned to the army, with further postings in India and England, and was acting governor of Hong Kong from 1940 to 1941. He retired with the rank of lieutenant general in 1942 and settled near Winchester, where he died in 1954, aged seventy.

Reviews

'With a preface by family members and a foreword by Doug Scott, this is a book to be admired, as well as read from cover to cover. The modern font makes it more readable for today's market and brings a classic mountaineering book to a new audience as well as us older readers and collectors.' – Colin Hilton'If Everest's reputation has become tarnished and diminished to one of high-altitude tourism then read this book and recapture the unadulterated essence of the challenge.' – Mike Jacob, 2016 Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal